BFS presents Oscar Shorts, illuminating docs & more in April
It’s officially spring but that often brings about more indoor days than Montanans would like. Bozeman Film Society continues to virtually stream independent titles for movie lovers. Watch safely at home with new titles added weekly. Streaming sales directly support BFS. Here’s a look at a few upcoming options.
Feast your eyes on the visual wonders of M.C. Escher: Journey to Infinity through April 8th. The story of world famous Dutch graphic artist is equal parts history, psychology and psychedelia. Robin Lutz’s entertaining, eye-opening portrait gives us the man through his own words and images: diary musings, excerpts from lectures, correspondence and more are voiced by British actor Stephen Fry, while Escher’s woodcuts, lithographs and other print works appear in both original and playfully altered form. The documentary runs 81 minutes.
Another doc, this one music-based, is also ready to stream through April 8th. Long Live Rock… Celebrate the Chaos is a deep dive into the culture of hard rock. The genre, beloved by its millions of fans, is often misunderstood and maligned by media and the music industry. In intimate interviews, the leading titans of rock discuss the genre and the special relationship they have with their audience. Featuring members of Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slipknot, Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Rage Against the Machine, Greta Van Fleet, Halestorm and more, the film runs 83 minutes.
Head into the backcountry with Cowboys through April 8th. In this tender revisionist Western, Steve Zahn plays a troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife. After his wife (Jillian Bell) refuses to let their trans child, Jo, live as his authentic self, he takes his son on the run into the Montana wilderness. Not Rated with a run time of 85 minutes.
Available through April 15th is Oscar hopeful Minari. A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, the film follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home. The film is Rated PG-13 and runs 115 minutes.
Meet the man behind the papal robe in Francesco, streaming through April 15th. Filmmakers were given unprecedented access to His Holiness Pope Francis, providing an intimate look at a global leader who approaches challenging and complex issues with tremendous humility, wisdom and generosity towards all. Spanning issues such as climate change, migration and refugees, women’s empowerment, sexual abuse and LGBTQ+ rights, the pandemic, border walls and many more, this documentary takes audiences on a worldwide journey to spotlight the incredible empathy displayed by a leader who continues to inspire hope during an extraordinary moment in our lifetime. It runs 116 minutes.
Rose Plays Julie streams through April 15th. In this shivery, pysch thriller, an adopted young woman seeks out her birth mother, inadvertently triggering a string of events which change both their lives. Beneath the eerily calm surfaces of Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor’s terrific film lies a blistering and modern exploration of identity, trauma and power. Not Rated with a run time of 100 minutes.
Make new discoveries with Amundsen: The Greatest Expedition through April 15th. Roald Amundsen’s dream of reaching the North Pole haunts him throughout his life. He is obsessed with the idea of discovering the last unchartered lands of the world. While he wins the race against Robert Scott to becomes the first man ever to conquer the South Pole, Amundsen will sacrifice everything to be the first to explore the icy wastelands of the North Pole. Not Rated with a run time of 125 minutes.
Also through April 15th, order up Another Round. Mads Mikkelsen stars in an exhilarating movie that is far weightier than its premise implies. Four friends, all high school teachers, test a theory that they will improve their lives by maintaining a constant level of .05% alcohol in their blood. As the units are knocked back – with some of the participants see improvement, while others go off the rails – it becomes increasingly clear that while alcohol may have fueled great results in world history, some bold acts carry consequences. Not Rated with a run time of 117 minutes.
Family drama The Father will be available through the month. A mischievous 80 year-old (Anthony Hopkins) defiantly refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind, and even the fabric of his reality. Rated PG-13 with a run time of 97 minutes.
Typically held at the Ellen every awards season, presentation of the popular Oscar-Nominated Shorts moves online. Catch the animated, live action and documentary shorts between April 2nd and 24th – just ahead of the big event. Run times range from 94–125 minutes.
Searing psychological thriller Every Breath You Take opens April 2nd and is available through the 22nd. A psychiatrist’s (Casey Affleck) career is thrown into jeopardy when his patient takes her own life. When he invites his patient’s surviving brother (Sam Claflin) into his home to meet his wife (Michelle Monaghan) and daughter, his family life is suddenly torn apart. The film is Rated R with a run time of 105 minutes.
Also available beginning April 2nd is The Marijuana Conspiracy. In 1972, young women looking for a fresh start in life endure isolated captivity in a true 98-day human experiment studying the effects of marijuana on females. Based on a true story, this film centers around five young women who shared a common goal: to make some money and have fun. Not Rated with a run time of 124 minutes.
Looking for a Lady with Fangs and a Moustache opens April 9th and can be streamed through the month. Tenzin, a modern Tibetan entrepreneur, utterly skeptical of ancient, mystical beliefs, is suddenly haunted by frightening dreams and hallucinations. A sage tells him those are omens of his imminent death. Filmed in a mesmerizing and magical Kathmandu, Tenzin will have seven days to save his life: a most unconventional, sacred journey into feminine energy. The film runs 113 minutes.
Cost and rental period vary per title. Public film screenings at the Ellen will resume when large gatherings can be safely scheduled. Follow BFS on social media for updates. Visit www.bozemanfilmsociety.org for film previews and further information – and “Keep ‘Em Flickering!” •
